The Supreme Court upheld Michigan’s ban on affirmative action Tuesday, but not without a blistering dissent from Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Sotomayor said the decision infringed upon groups’ rights by allowing Michigan voters to change “the basic rules of the political process … in a manner that uniquely disadvantaged racial minorities.”

“In my colleagues’ view, examining the racial impact of legislation only perpetuates racial discrimination,” Sotomayor added. “This refusal to accept the stark reality that race matters is regrettable. As members of the judiciary tasked with intervening to carry out the guarantee of equal protection, we ought not sit back and wish away, rather than confront, the racial inequality that exists in our society.” Read more.

After being criticized for making racially insensitive remarks, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is scheduled to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) later this week.

“Congressman Ryan is a nice guy, and as such you know he has tried to frame the comments that he made about inner city folk as just sort of an inarticulate way of communicating,” CBC member Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said during a conference call with reporters today. Read more.

Ebony magazine has announced a major change to its staff, naming Mitzi Miller as the new editor-in-chief of the publication. Desiree Rogers, CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, announced the change today, praising Miller’s talent.

“Mitzi is a gifted editor with tremendous energy and passion, and her strong editorial background will catapult the EBONY brand to greater heights,” Rogers said in a press release. “We are thrilled to have Mitzi in our JPC family and are excited to see the new direction she will bring to the magazine.” Read more.

A wide majority of Americans support affirmative action programs on college campuses, according to a poll published Tuesday by the Pew Research Center.

The survey, conducted in February and March of this year, found 63 percent of Americans described affirmative action programs designed to increase the number of black and minority students on college campuses as a “good thing,” while just 30 percent of respondents described the program as a “bad thing.” Read more.

On Tuesday, rock star Jon Bon Jovi helped cut the ribbon on a 55-unit housing development for formerly homeless and low-income residents in Philadelphia, the Associated Press reports. After some 18 months of construction the JBJ Soul Homes opened in the Francisville neighborhood. The four-story building will also include retail and office space.

Bon Jovi’s Soul Foundation provided the bulk of the money for the $16.6 million project with other proceeds coming from public and private funds. The singer hopes that the new housing development will offer residents the support they need to get back on their feet, AP reports. Read more.